Gujarat’s Home Minister, Harsh Sanghavi, addressed the Assembly on Wednesday, informing members that the Bhupendra Patel-led government has demolished 108 mazars as part of a crackdown on encroachments believed to be “part of a conspiracy.”
Sanghavi reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding temples from any malicious intent, Muslim Mirror reported.
Quoting an earlier statement by a BJP MLA from Ellisbridge, Sanghavi remarked, “Today, the point mentioned by Amitbha.’ He said that a derasar was removed in Jamalpur. Now, Dada’s (Bhupendra Patel) bulldozer is moving around in every nook and corner of the state so that no temple or devsthan can be removed while hatching a conspiracy. Nobody knows where will it (bulldozer) go.”
Sanghavi addressed the Assembly while seeking approval for the budgetary allocation for the home department.
He raised concerns about the sudden appearance of multiple mazars within the Uparkot Fort premises in Junagadh, recently redeveloped. “In Uparkot, it was not known where (and when) all mazars were built. How can it be built suddenly?” he questioned.
Sanghavi continued, stating, “In all, 108 mazars have been demolished (in the state) and the state’s properties have been opened… The encroachment around Somnath has been removed. This bulldozer of Dada can enter a 20-ft wide street and an 80-m wide road.”